No-deal is better than PM's deal, says DUP Brexit spokesman

Mina Andreeva, a spokeswoman for European Commission president Jean- Claude Juncker, said "no further meetings are foreseen" to discuss the deal.

Speaking a day after crunch talks with her in Downing Street, Mr Wilson was asked on the BBC's Today programme if there was "any way" he could support the agreement.

Irish Education Minister Joe McHugh said all Irish cabinet ministers were now looking at their own departments to assess whether new legislation would be needed after Brexit, however he had been made aware of this specific issue in the last few days.

May still hopes to get her deal through Parliament, though even members of her own cabinet admit privately that to do so she will need to make significant changes and win over lots of opposition lawmakers.

The Taoiseach says work is ongoing to stockpile medicines in the event of a no deal Brexit.

"If anyone should be anxious about the tariffs on beef and sheep then it should be the Irish because, of course, we, the United Kingdom, are net importers of food", he said.

This would mean nearly certain defeat for Mrs May, since Labour, the Lib Dems and the SNP have all vowed to vote against the deal.

"Every Northern Irish citizen, when they're born, has the option of being an Irish or British citizen or both, whatever the stipulation or small print that's needed, the most important thing is the systems in place at the moment continue, and that's where I'm keeping my focus at the moment", he said.

Meanwhile, preparations for a possible no-deal exit are being stepped up in a number of areas.

The National Police Chiefs' Council said: "Police forces continue to prepare for possible eventualities as exit from the European Union draws nearer".

There will be sections devoted to European nationals living in the United Kingdom and British expats living on the Continent. The website will also cover other scenarios, including if the United Kingdom leaves on the basis of Mrs May's agreement.